Animal, and of the Shape represented H I K : It is perfectly crustaceous, and beset
with little stiff Hairs or Bristles, instead of Feathers ; and from the under Part thereof
proceed six hairy Legs L L L L, &c. each having six Joints, and at the End two little
Claws. These Legs are very long and slender, and could not therefore be given in the
Drawing : Their Feet are all over feathered, in a Manner resembling a Fish's Scales,
with Abundance of little black Hairs interspersed, and appearing stubborn like Hog's
Bristles.
From the upper and posterior Part of the Thorax grow out a Pair of transparent,
slender, oblong Wings m m, whose Edges are surrounded with a Fringe of Feathers ;
and under each Wing appears a Poise or Ballance N, having a round Knob at its Ex-
tremity, which lessens by Degrees into a small Stem, and again grows bigger near its In-
sertion under the Wing. These little Bodies vibrate to and fro very nimbly when the
Creature moves its Wings, and move sometimes even when the Wings are quiet, but
commonly foretel the Motion of the Wings to follow. As to their Use, see p. 40.
The Belly or Tail-part is long in Proportion to the Animal, and composed of nine
Annuli, or Partitions, shelly, and armed with short Bristles, as well as adorned with
Feathers, most curiously disposed in Rows. Six of the Divisions O P Q R S T are
transparent, and in them the peristaltic Motions of the Intestines are very distinguishable,
A small, clear, white Part is also more particularly remarkable at V, which may be
seen beating like the Heart of some larger Animal.
The other three Divisions W X Y are opake ; and in the last of them are shewn the
Figure and Situation of the Anus.
An EXPLANATION of the TWENTY-SIXTH PLATE
The Great-bellyed or Female Gnat
THE Shape of this Gnat is very different from the preceding,
and its Belly,
Chest, Wings, and every other Part larger, as is commonly the Case of the Fe-
male in all the Tribes of flying Insects. Two Pair of Horns appear on the Head of
this as well as of the Male, but both Pair here are nearly of the same Length, whereas
in that the brushy Horns are much longer than the other two ; and these Horns which
in the Male are brushy and full of Joints, are in the Female only beset with short strong
Bristles, and have much fewer Articulations.
The Thorax Part of this, as well as of the other, has a very strong and shelly
Back-piece, which reaches also on either Side its Legs : Several jointed Pieces of Shell-
work are likewise curiously and conveniently disposed about its Wings, and serve at the
same Time to give them both Strength and Motion.
Dr. HOOKE permitted one of these Insects to penetrate the Skin of his Hand with its
Proboscis, and suck out thence as much Blood as it could possibly contain, whereby it
became red and transparent ; and all this was done without his suffering any Pain, ex-
cept while the Proboscis was making its Entrance ; which the Doctor uses as an Argu-
ment to prove, that these Creatures do not wound the Skin and suck the Blood out of
Enmity and Revenge ; but through mere Necessity, and to satisfy their Hunger.
